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Pub group Young’s has confirmed it will shell out more than £100,000 to cover the cost of settled status applications for its employees who are EU nationals.

The group, which has 1,800 members of staff from non-UK EU countries, will pay the £65 fee for any staff making the application.

The company also plans to open weekly clinics to help colleagues complete paperwork.

Chief executive Patrick Dardis has previously said his firm would “do whatever we need to do to continue making staff feel welcome”.

The news comes after Italian restaurant chain Carluccio’s pledged to do the same for its 1,550 non-British EU employees.

Chief executive Mark Jones said it was what founder Antonio Carluccio would have wanted.

“There would be no Carluccio’s without one man making the journey from Europe to London,” he said.

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The public stance taken by the chain has prompted other hospitality businesses to discuss the settled status fee.

PA understands that pub chain JD Wetherspoon – which is chaired by vocal Brexiteer Tim Martin – is to discuss whether to take the same action in the coming weeks.

Mr Martin has previously said immigration is a “good thing” for Britain, but that it should come under the UK Government’s control.

Meanwhile Pret a Manger confirmed that it currently has no plans to pay the fee. The coffee and food chain’s boss Clive Schlee warned in 2017 that the business would face a staff shortage if it was unable to hire EU nationals.

The process will give those who have lived in the UK for five years or more settled status, allowing them to stay in the country indefinitely.

Anyone who is under this threshold can apply for pre-settled status, giving them another five years in the UK after which they can apply for settled status.